Fractured Flower
by BlueWolf0248
Summary: one day the Akatsuki end up in our world, as kittens, in the care of a young woman named Nix. it doesn't take long for the kittens to grow fond of the kind girl but it quickly becomes clear that Nix is quickly breaking. Can the Akatsuki, a gang of murderers who have never had to care for someone else, save her before she becomes unfixable?
1. Chapter 1

**Hello, here is a new story. Hope you like it, let me know! Please review.**

 **Don't own any but my character, enjoy!**

 **Chapter 1**

"ouch, dammit! You're stepping on my tail!"

"Move then, I can't hardly fucking breath!"

"Tobi is being smashed!"

"Shut it Tobi!"

"Everyone. Shut up and stop moving,"

Several more grumbles sounded but everyone obeyed reluctantly.

"Leader, if I may ask, why are we cats?" A small midnight black cat asked a ginger cat, tail curling around small paws.

The ginger cat glanced at the lavender coloured cat beside him who gave a small shrug.

"I'm, not sure. There was an old scroll that I discovered early in an old part of the library, but I didn't sense any traps before I opened it. And it was blank. I remember setting it on the desk before feeling a pulling sensation," he admitted after a moment.

"I felt something similar, right before losing consciousness," a small, slender cat with blood red fur said, brown eyes narrowing in thought.

Before anything else could be said, a loud, ominous rumble was heard outside the large box they were in before a torrent of rain came instantly soaking the Akatsuki turned kittens to the bone.

Loud meows filled the alley as the criminals voiced their displeasure.

"Dammit! Can this get any fucking worse!" A silvery kitten yowled.

"Careful, Hidan. That's just tempting fate," a large blue-grey kitten said, a grin revealing sharp teeth.

Before the irate kitten could make a scathing reply, the box they were trapped inside jolted as something bumped it from outside.

Everyone froze as a significantly larger animal peered over the top of the box. Dark intelligent eyes stared at them before the black furred creatures muzzle crinkled and a long pink tongue looked out as the animal seemed to smile, making excited yipping sounds.

A large brown kitten batted the silver one over the head.

"You idiot," it hissed.

"That hurt! Dammit kakuzu!" Hidan screeched.

The other animal leaned further in and hidan jumped.

"Ah shit, it's gonna eat us!" He whimpered, swiping at the nose as it descended.

The animal yelped and jerked back, whimpering and pacing outside the box, pain battling its curiosity of the contents of the box.

Before the animal could stick its head back inside a young female voice called out loudly.

"Darn dog! Get outta here! You're gonna get caught!" the young woman said crossly, crossing the street and giving the kittens inside the box their first glimpse of their savior.

A young woman, no older than twenty, with long rich brown hair and light blue eyes peered over the top of the box and surprise widened her eyes before she sighed heavily, looking up to the heavens in mock agony.

"Why me, what did I do to deserve this?" she asked, before looking back down and shutting her umbrella. Squatting down, she got her hands beneath the box and with a small grunt stood up, staggering at the weight.

"I'm glad I found you outside my place and not at the station. You guys are too heavy to carry very far," she panted, breathless.

The akatsuki members, stiffened and tried to keep from bumping into each other.

"Where is she taking us?" Sasori asked, trying to keep from hissing when Deidara landed on his tail.

"I don't know," Pein said, tense.

After a few moments the rain suddenly came to a stop as she stepped through a door into a dark, warm house.

Panting, she set the box down onto the ground carefully and knelt down beside it, reaching inside and beginning to lift the kittens out one at a time.

Itachi watched the girl carefully, noting the way she flinched as she lifted kisame, Kakuzu, and Zetsu out of the box. His eyes narrowed when her sleeve rode up and he caught sight of several strange scars starting at her wrist and disappearing under her sleeves.

Once she had all the kittens out she looked them over.

"Well kittens. I guess this is your new home. I'm exhausted so i'll come up with your names tomorrow. I'm going to sleep so you can wander the house but please don't break anything. I can't afford to be fixing stuff all the time," she said, rubbing a hand over her face tiredly.

She climbed to her feet slowly and started to make her way up the stairs. The kittens shared a look before following after her. She collapsed onto her bed, not bothering to change and removing a belt and odd shaped device from her belt, draping it on her headboard and laying a small rectangular device on the nightstand before easing under the covers when several low meows caught her attention. She looked up to see the kittens peering around the side of her door. She gave a small smile and waved halfheartedly.

"Fine, yah can sleep in here if yah want, Imma sleep," she mumbled, eyes closing as she yawned.

The kittens looked between each other before entering the room cautiously and jumping onto the bed, situating themselves around the half asleep girl.

"Heh, g'night," she murmured.


	2. Chapter 2

**here is chapter 2. Hope you like it, let me know through review.**

 **Don't own any but my own character, enjoy!**

 **Chapter 2**

Later in the night the kittens were awakened to the sound of their new caretaker's whimpers and restless tossing.

Kakuzu and Zetsu, jumped up and moved back before they could be hit in the face by a stray limb.

"What's wrong with her, hm?" Deidara asked, joining the others at the foot of the bed as he watched the girl writhe in the bed, clearly caught in a nightmare.

Before any responses could come, the girl lurched upright with a breathless scream. Her eyes looked around wildly before falling on the kittens watching her.

"just a dream. Only a dream," she whispered, a choked sob distorting the words as she wrapped her arms around her knees, head falling forward and rocked back and forth, breathing heavily.

She started when a small furry body rubbed against her forehead, a tiny meow reaching her ears. She looked up to see the smallest of the kittens, peering up at her, paws on her knees as he began to purr, rubbing his black furry head against her hands.

She gave a laugh that sounded more like a sob and picked the kitten up, cradling him to her chest and nuzzling her face into his soft fur.

"Thanks little one," she whispered, looking into mix matched eyes and an orange face.

She looked up when several weights landed on her lap and around her legs. the rest of the kittens were gathered around her, looking casual but glancing at her from the corner of their eyes. She smiled even as tears filled her eyes again.

A white kitten gave a yowl and his fur puffed up when he saw her tears.

"What the hell? Why is she crying again?" hidan squawked, distress making his fur puff up.

He was interrupted when the girl bent forward and gently embraced the kittens as best she could.

"Thank you, all of you, so much," she whispered.

Taking a deep breath, she sat up and wiped her eyes. Glancing at the rectangular device she grimaced then shrugged.

"Still early but I'm not gonna be going back to sleep, so might as well get up, get you fellas food and name you," she said, shoving the covers back and getting up.

Entering the kitchen, she began digging through the fridge, pulling out several containers of shredded chicken, ham and bacon. Grabbing four large saucer like bowls she filled two with the meat concoction, one with milk, and the last with water.

She turned to smile at the kittens who were watching her carefully from the doorway and beckoned them forward.

"Alright, come eat little ones," she said, standing and heading to the coffee pot on the counter and turning it on. Grabbing a mug, she turned around in time to see the kittens gather around the two food bowls and begin eating enthusiastically. She smiled and grabbed the now full pot and poured herself a cup. Carrying it to the table, she set it on the chair before settling on the ground, watching them quietly.

When the saucers were empty they crowded around her again and she stroked them gently, smiling slightly.

"Well, time for names," she said, picking up the smallest kitten first, remembering the way he'd been the first to comfort her.

"Hmm, how about Hallow. You're orange and black, like Halloween," she said. Kissing his head once, she set him down and picked up the next.

Deidara eyed the girl nervously, hoping he wouldn't get a dumb name. She studied him for several seconds before saying "Soleil. It means sun in French, I think it fits you, you're fur is almost yellow. "

Deidara sat, feeling satisfied, it was a strange name, but not girly, which was all he cared about.

She picked up Konan next, smiling when the kitten watched her calmly, bright amber eyes meeting hers without fear. "Hmm, what to call you, little miss, you're a beauty, aren't you?" she said softly, taking in the purple-greyish colored fur.

Konan resisted the urge to preen proudly. Living with all men meant the only comments made on her appearance tended to be lewd so it was nice hearing someone compliment her.

" I'll call you Flicka, it means pretty girl," the girl said, setting the female down gently and picking up Itachi.

"I'm going to call you shadow," she said, setting him down after petting him for a moment or two. She picked up Hidan next and smiled when he flattened his ears in displeasure.

"Sorry boy, I'll put you down in a moment. I'm gonna call you Ice, since You're pure white," she said, setting him down carefully before picking up Sasori.

She studied him for several seconds, making the blood red kitten impatient and he squirmed in annoyance.

"Sorry, sorry," she murmured, " I'll call you Rosu, which means red. not very creative, I know," she said, smiling sheepishly and putting him down.

She picked up Pein next and he stared at her seriously, grey ringed eyes studying her seriously.

"Handsome," she murmured, " I'll call you Siva, because of your grey eyes." she said setting him down. She picked Zetsu up next with a little wince, and rested him on her lap.

"You, young sir, are the oddest colored cat i've ever seen. I'm going to call you Domino," she said, stroking him gently before sliding him off her lap. She reached out as though to pick up Kisame, but hesitated then sighed and stroked him instead.

"Sorry, you're a little too heavy for me to lift, sorry youngster," she said, sounding regretful. "I'm gonna call you Cien, which means Blue," she said, smiling in amusement. "For obvious reasons," she said, laughing.

She turned to Kakuzu last and studied him carefully, stroking him absentmindedly. "Hmm, how about Cub? You remind me of a Brown Bear and a cub is a baby bear, so yeah...Cub," she said.

Naming done, she stood up with a bit of difficulty, rinsing her mug and putting it in the dishwasher, adding the two food saucers and milk saucer, before refilling the water saucer. She was just finishing up when the rectangular device on the table suddenly lit up and began beeping loudly. Jumping in surprise she grabbed it and to the amazement of the kittens on the floor, put it to her ear and began speaking in it.

"This is Nix, what? it's my day off," she snapped. A voice on the other end had her paling and she ran out of the room to her bedroom, slamming the door shut and beginning to get changed. She attached the gun and the belt it was on around her waist and pulled the door open, still talking as she pulled her long hair into a ponytail.

"I'm leaving now, I'll meet you there, wait! My damn car is getting fixed, i'm gonna need a ride," she spoke hurriedly, now ignoring the kittens, who were watching her with baffled expressions.

She hung up as she opened the front door, calling back at her new kittens. "Sorry little ones! I have to go, be good, please!" with that, the door shut and she was gone.

The kittens looked at each other in confusion.

"What was that, hm?" Deidara asked.

Since no one knew, they split up to explore the house and wait for the girl to come back.

 **Names of Akatsuki and their kitten names...**

Tobi-Hallow

Deidara-Soleil

Sasori-Rosu

Itachi- Shadow

Kisame-Cien

Zetsu-Domino

Pein-Siva

Konan- Flicka

Hidan- Ice

Kakuzu-Cub


	3. Chapter 3

**here is chapter 3 part 1. Hope you enjoy! Please review!**

 **I don't own any but my character.**

 **Chapter 3**

the akatsuki stood still for several seconds, staring at the door where their savior had rushed through.

"What happened, hm?" Deidara asked after a bit, sounding baffled.

Pein shrugged, "while she is out, split up and search the house for any clue as to where we are," he ordered.

Everyone nodded and split off into their usual pairs. Itachi hesitated but decided to keep his discovery to himself until he had a better understanding of the situation.

The hours passed slowly as the small house was all but bare. Aside from the clothes in her closet and some cosmetics in the bathroom the house seemed almost abandoned.

Half of the members curled up on the couch while the others claimed the chair, all watching the front door intently.

"This is so damn boring!" Hidan growled after a while.

Deidara, Kisame, and Tobi all nodded in agreement. The others didn't respond but had to agree.

Finally, as the sun began to set, the front door unlocked with a soft click and their mystery keeper entered slowly, a large leather case around her shoulder and a box in her arms.

Tobi instantly jumped off of the chair with an excited yell and pranced up to her, rearing back to paw at her legs.

Exhausted eyes looked down at the energetic kitten before a soft but warm smile tilted her lips upward.

"Hey Hollow," she greeted, entering the living room and setting both box and bag down before scooping the smallest kitten into her arms and walking to the kitchen to fix some food for her furry guests.

As they ate, she made a pot of coffee before going back into the living room, steaming cup in hand.

Sitting on the floor, she set the cup down before turning and emptying the box and bag of their contents.

Curious, the kittens wandered back into the living room to see her separating picture into two piles.

On the left pile were pictures of girls, ranging in age from five to early twenties. There were no similarities between each picture, all different color skin,hair, and eyes. The pile on the right was similar except all the girls had a large red x drawn through them. They were also clearly dead.

"Sempai? Where are the girls eyelids, and hands? Tobi asked, sounding disturbed.

"Shut it tobi, un," deidara answered absently.

The sound of papers rustling furiously as the girl muttered to herself, drew the Akatsuki members attention for a moment until they looked down at the papers and pictures.

"What is she doing?" Sasori asked after a bit, completely confused as he tried and failed to follow the random mumbles as he studied the disturbing pictures.

After several hours the kittens were startled awake by the girl running around and shouting something into a phone.

Before they realized what was happening, she had run through the front door.

The group of kittens watched it click shut behind her.

"That's the second time that's happened," deidara stated thoughtfully.

Sasori hit him on the head with a red paw.

"Now what?" Hidan asked.

"We wait, again," pein said with a tiny sigh.


	4. Chapter 3 part 2

**this is the second part of chapter 3. Warnings of trauma ahead.**

finally, as the first rays of sun began poking above the horizen, the door opened and the girl stumbled through, looking deathly pale. Ten pairs of eyes widened at the dry blood covering the sleeves of her jacket, several parts of her clothes and shoes, which were kicked off before she stumbled past them, walking unsteadily down the hallway.

A door opened and moments later vomiting could be heard coming from the bathroom.

Worried, konan went down the hall, peering in the doorway cautiously. Her heart ached at the sight that greeted her.

Their mysterious keeper was curled up on the floor beside the toilet, weeping brokenly. She krept inside, noticing the rest of the akatsuki was behind her, at the door. She mewowed quietly, trying to keep from startling her.

The young woman looked up, and seeing konan by her leg, she scooped her up with a little sob and buried her face in the kitten's soft fur.

Konan started, surprised before relaxing and letting the distraught girl cry.

"My fault. All my fault, all dead, I was too late, and they all died," she kept whispering over and over brokenly.

Konan hadnt felt so hopeless in a long time. Meowing, she wiggled loose, then, graspingvthe bloody sleeve in her teeth she tugged, after several minutes the girl realized and began stripling, turning on the shower. Konan glared threatenly at the males who wisely turned around.

Once she was clean, she stumbled to her room, changed into sleeping clothes, and collapsed on her bed, burrowing under the covers and curling into a tiny ball.

The kittens jumped onto the bed and settled around her protectively, konan, sliding beneath the covers to curl into her chest, felt relieved when arms wrapped around her and the girl's breathing slowed, signaling she'd fallen asleep.


	5. Chapter 4

**hi! I want to thank everyone for reviewing! So, this is chapter 4. I am writing this from my bed on a cruise ship in Alaska! Warning, the first part is pretty tense, I wanted people to know nix's back story though.**

 **Remember I only own my character.**

 **Enjoy!**

 **Chapter 4**

Nix looked around, confused by her surroundings. She was pretty sure she remembered falling asleep in her bed. Walking forward in the misty grass she blinked and blinked once again when she suddenly appeared in a house. She could hear cheerful laughter coming from the other room, and turned to investigate when she heard the doorbell ring.

"Who could that be at this time? In the middle of a snowstorm nonetheless?" She heard a familiar sounding man ask before a young girl saying "I'll get it," exclaim .

A smaller version of nix appeared, passing the other nix to open the front door.

She invited the person in and nix watched as the younger her trotted back to her family, not seeing the sick smile he had as he grabbed a large knife from the counter.

Although there was a sick feeling forming in her stomach, nix was helpless to stop what she knew was going to happen.

From the living room a shot rang out, then a second as a woman began screaming.

The walls became transparent, forcing nix to watch the massacre. The man was standing over her little brother. He knelt down and slashed through the back of the four year old, making it so he wouldn't be able to run. The little boy began screaming in Pa n, trying to get to his feet and escape. The man grabbed the frozen nix and tied her hands behind her back using ducktape. He settled her against the wall and patted her cheek smearing blood on her face.

"Sit tight my love, we shall be ready to go once I finish my masterpiece," he said, walking over to her still living but unable to move parents. By the time he was done the room had been painted a grisly red, nix had screamed herself hoarse, and her family was in several piles around the room.

The man walked over and picked her up, leaving through the front door.

Nix wrenched upright in bed with a scream, dislodging kittens as she lurched from bed to her bathroom, throwing up in the toilet.

"Shit! Now what?!" Hidan yowled as he tumbled tail over nose to land in a pile on the floor.

Konan, itachi, and tobi entered the bathroom, nose wrinkling at the smell of vomit to see the girl shaking and dry heaving, her shirt soaked in sweat. Konan meowed and nudged her uncertainly, feeling worried.

"S-ssorry," the girl whispered, shipping her mouth and flushing the toilet before sitting back against the wall, pulling her knees in and continuing to shake.

Now very worried, konan reared onto her back paws to bat at her leg insistently, meowing loudly.

Nix scooped her up and buried her face in konan's soft fur. Soon tears soaked her fur as the girl wept quietly, whispering I'm sorry over and over I to her side.

Konan meowed sadly and the rest of the akatsuki gathered around her in the bathroom, comforting her the only way they could.

By the time the sun rose nix had cleaned up and was sitting in the chair in the living room, nursing a cup of coffee and surrounded by papers and kittens.

She looked at a rather gory picture and studied a paper with writing on it. Brow creased as she looked back and forth again and again.

"I know there's a connection here somewhere, I can almost see it," she mumbled.

Itachi narrowed his eyes, trying to figure out what she was seeing.

His eyes widened as he spotted the similarity.

He batted her hand meowing loudly, startling the other members.

"What is it?" Nix asked, looking down and patting him absently. He growled and jumped off her lap pacing anxiously.

"Itachi? What is it?" Leon asked, cautious, but curious.

"I know what the connection is! I wish I was human! I could help her!" He growled in agitation.

He collapsed when a sucking feeling suddenly seemed to appear in his stomach. He yowled in discomfort, the sound changing to a human help part way through as he changed back to human on the carpet in front of a shocked nix and akatsuki.

Well nearly human, he concluded, seeing a light black robe covering his body, a long black tail curled around his legs, fingertips ending in claws, ears flicking back and forth, and when he swallowed he felt something around his throat. But he had human vocal cords now! He could tell Nix what he'd figured out.

"Nix-san!" He began before a hysterical scream escaped from nix's throat and she kept to her feet, scattering the remaining kittens and pointing at itachi wildly.

" .Hell! You...you...you're supposed to be a cat!" She shrieked, backing away from him.

He held up his hands soothingly.

"I'm sure this is very confusing and alarming for you..." he began, before a cup of still hot coffee was thrown at his face. He was so surprised he didn't dodge and ended with a face full of burning coffee.

He hissed, falling backwards, trying to wipe the painful liquid off.

"Oh my god! Are you okay?" Nix asked wildly, before remembering he'd been her kitten not five minutes ago.

"What the hell are you? A demon or an alien?" She asked in panic backing away again.

Itachi stared at her, unable to believe what he was hearing.

"Oh my machine, that's hilarious!" Nissan yowled in laughter.

"Be quiet, Hidan," itachi hissed, embarrassed.

"Wait, you understood him? Is he an alien too?" Nix asked, eyes widening even more, looking like she was considering whether she needed to get holy water or a gun.

"I am not an alien! Or a demon!" Itachi snapped before taking a deep breath and continuing, "I am a ninja and my name is Itachi. It is nice to finally be able to properly speak with you," he said.

"Err, yeah," nix said uncertainly, watching him warrior but at least she wasn't trying to run away yet, so he counted it a win.

"And to answer your other question, yes I can understand him, which is unfortunate, and he is also a ninja like me. We all are. The white one you called ice is Hidan. His partner who you call cub is Kakuzu, the red one is Easier and his partner is Deidara, the one you called Soleil. The black and white one is sets and his partner is the smallest kitten, his name is tobi. The blue one is my partner, Mistake and the purple female and orange male are our leaders, konan and pein." He said, pointing to everyone.

Nix slid down the wall with a thump, looking a little wide eyed.

"I am so confused right now," she whispered.

"You were kittens but you're actually humans, but ninjas with weird names that look like cat people." She muttered, holding her head in her hands.

"Oh! But I figured out the connection you were looking g for!" Itachi exclaimed, suddenly remembering his original mission.

"What?" Nix asked, confused.

"It's the third victim! Both instances happen every third victim!" Itachi said before a sucking feeling happened again and he realized he was once a kitten again.

Nix had dived for the papers, reading through them again, instantly distracted and she leapt to her feet running out the door shouting, "stay there, alien ninja cat people! I'll deal with you once I get back!"

The door slammed shut. Pein turned to itachi.

"What happened?" He asked.

"I don't know, I just wished I had a way to tell her, I was frustrated at my inability to help her, next I know I was in that half form. It was...odd," itachi said.

"Hmm, well I suppose we have no choice but to wait for her to return...again," pein said with a sigh.

Several hours later the front door opened and nix walked through slowly. She looked at the gathered kittens, filthy and exhausted but a slow grin spread across her face. She crumbled to her knees in front of them, grabbing itachi and hugging him tightly.

"Thank you so much. We managed to get there just I. Time, we saved the last victim," she whispered before kissing his head gently.

"Soo, she's doesn't seem afraid of us at least," Hidan said from the background.

"I...understood that," nix whispered, eyes widening a bit. "J feel like I'm going crazy, but I'm not scared of you, although I'm not sure why. I don't trust people right away, especially men, I just don't. But, you helped save that little boy, so you must be at least a little good."

None of the kittens mentioned that they were criminals.

Nix sighed and held itachi close.

"Thank you so very much, I was terrified Wed be to late to save him." She whispered into his fur.

Her phone rang, startling her. She fumbled to get t out of her pocket, sitting up and setting itachi in her lap as she answered.

"I can visit him tomorrow," she said into the phone, she eyed the kittens.

"I inherited few kittens, is it alright if I take them along? It might make him feel more comfortable," she asked.

She made a face but nodded, "okay, only two, got it." She said sighing.

Hanging up she smiled brightly down at the kittens, so who else beside shadow wants to come with? She asked.


	6. Chapter 5

**Thanks to everyone who reviewed! It makes a person want to update when they see people actually liking their works.**

 **Don't own any but my character.**

 **Chapter 5**

The next day at exactly nine a car pulls up at the house and Nix walks out the front door, carrying itachi in her arms, a purring tobi perched on her shoulder. She gets in the vehicle and it drives away, leaving behind eight glum kittens, not that they'd ever admit it.

Except hidan who was more than willing to complain, loudly, and with excessive sweating until Kakuzu threatened to rip his tail off and suffocate him with it if he didn't shut up right this minute.

Hidan went off to sulk, which left the living room in a state of quiet once again. Until Sasori spoke up.

"Leader, I have a theory why Itachi changed back human briefly," he began, drawing everyone's attention. Even hidan wandered back over, still grumbling under his breath.

"Why?" Pein asked.

" Itachi said he wanted to help her,didn't he? Maybe we are only able to gain human form when we truly wish to help her," Sasori said, tail swishing in agitation.

The group was silent as they thought about what he'd said.

"I don't think that's completely correct. I wanted to help her the other nights when she was scared, but I stayed a cat." Konan said,shaking bet head.

"So what? We take the form she needs most or something!? That's fucking stupid," hidan said, voice whiny..

He blinked, seeing everyone staring at him in surprise.

"What?" He asked.

"Well, that's the last smart thing well here from him for another six months," kakuzu muttered, thinking over what his partner had said.

Ignoring the offended noise hidan made, pein spoke. " well, we will have to see if we can't make her decide it would be better for us to be human than cat. We are unable to use our chakrain this form and are helpless," pein decided.

Nix started at the hospital from the passenger side window, petting the kittens on her lap absently. Alex, her partner and chauffeur for the day spoke quietly.

"You don't have to do this you know," he said.

Nix shook her head, sighing and opening the car door.

"No, I do. I need to see that he's alright," she responded, carrying itachi in her arms while Tobi perched on her shoulder.

Itachi couldn't help wrinkling his nose at the overpowering antiseptic and smell of sickness assaulted his senses. They entered the elevator and Nix stood silently, the only sound being Tobi's occasional shift around her neck. They exited the elevator and started down a white hallway, going to the room at the end of the hall. Nix knocked twice and twisted the door knob, opening the door to show a small figure laying in a hospital bed.

Itachi stared at the little boy in the bed. He couldn't have been older than ten. He had several bandages on his arms and one on his cheek. His hair was long and a deep black which made the already pale boy seem ghostly. Foggy blue eyes looked at them in suspicion.

Nix smiled hesitantly and spoke.

"Hello Nichalos, are you feeling any better today? You look much better than the last time I saw you," she said in a soft, warm tone.

"He looked at her confused for several seconds before recognition filled his eyes.

"Y-youre the one who saved me," he whispered hoarsely.

"Well, it was a group effort but yes, I'm the one who found you," Nix said, looking faintly embarrassed.

At her response he gave a small smile. He gestured for her to come over and she did so, carefully setting the kittens down on the bed by his legs.

"This is Shadow and Hallow, they're my kittens. I have eight more at home but Alex only et me bring two so I'll have to introduce them to you in pairs as I visit." She said.

Small hands grabbed her arm and tugged. Surprised, she leaned closer and the little boy buried his face in her neck. She felt warm droplets on her skin as he shook, and hugged him back gently, listening to him whisper thank yous in her ear.

Several minutes later, once he'd calmed down and released her to slump back, itachi and tobi curled up in his lap.

The doctor waved the two from outside the room. With one last look, the two adults exited.

"I'm sorry to bother you,but as he has no parents or family I didn't know who else to tell of his condition,"the man said apologetically.

"No, that's alright," Nix said, the man next to her nodding.

"Well, he's very lucky to be alive. He had several second degree burns and deep lacerations on his arms, chest, legs and it looks like the man who did these awful things meant to skin him next. He is missing a large piece of skin from his shoulder to the middle of his back. The good news, while painful and definitely scarring, he should heal completely. Given time and the proper care. Which brings me to the final issue. Where will he be staying? He needs specific care and a familiar face will probably help him heal mentally. When he first woke he was hysterical and we had to heavily sedated him to calm him. That's the only reason he's able to move," the doctor finished, heaving a huge sigh.

" He can stay with me," Nix said suddenly.

"Are you sure that's a good idea?" Alex asked, looking over at her worriedly.

"Who will understand him better than me?" Nix said with a sad smile.

"I don't mean that, are you going to be OK, take g care of someone like this?" He asked, "if you really want to, then I'll help you with the paperwork. I have a few people who owe me favors who can help the process go smoother and quicker, but I need to know you'll be okay doing this," the older man said seriously.

Nix smiled up at him. "I want to do this, besides, if I ever need help, I know who to come to for first hand experience advice," she said warmly, pressing g a kiss to his cheek before nodding to the doctor and opening the door to reenter the hospital room.


	7. Chapter 6

**thank you to everyone who reviewed! Makes me very happy. Hope you enjoy this chapter! It's a serious chapter this time. Next chapter should be happier!**

 **Only own my characters!**

 **Chapter 6**

nix entered to see a sweet sight. Nichalos was curled up in the bed sound asleep with Hallow curled up right underneath his chin, purring loudly. Shadow was curled in the crook of his arm, watching the doorway with unblinking eyes.

She smiled and grabbed a piece of paper, scribbling a note on it before ruffling his hair carefully and gently picking up her kittens before exiting the room and following Alex out of the hospital.

She got into the car, listening to the older man talking on the phone, arguing with a man on the other side.

After several minutes he hung up with a satisfied smile. He pulled into the driveway of a big house and got out, walking to the front door where a man was waiting for him with a few folders full of papers. He scowled at the man, said something that made Alex laugh, and handed the papers over.

Alex handed her the folder as he got into the car.

"Should be all the papers you need to start this whole process," he said.

"Thank you, Alex," nix said with a small but happy smile.

"Anything for you, my dear," he said, shooting her a quick smile.

He dropped nix off at her house and waved goodbye as she juggled her two kittens and the folder of papers.

She opened the door and kicking it shut she called, "I'm home! Alien kitties, did you destroy my house?"

"We are not aliens, for the last time," kakuzu growled as he and the other kittens came around the corner.

"Erm, hi?" Nix said, eyes a little wide.

"It appears you are able to understand is now, Nix-Chan," itachi said, quietly as he leapt from her arms. He sat down next to listen and regarded her with dark eyes,tail waving slowly.

"Yay!Nixy-Chan can understand us!" A high pitched voice said in her ear excitedly.

Nix blinked and tugged the kitten of her shoulder.

"Hallow, you are noisy my dear," she said.

"Tobi is Tobi, not Hallow!" The tiny kitten whined,looking at her pitifully.

Nix smiled and hugged him quickly, "you are sweet," she said, releasing him and setting him down.

"What is that folder? Another case? Sasori asked suddenly, having spotted the folder.

"Nope. It's adoption papers for the boy I helped save. His parents were killed, and he needs someone to take care of him." She explained.

"That cannot happen. No-one else can know about us. You will have to tell him you can't." Pein said immediately.

Nix glared at him, "no way in hell," she snapped. "My house my rules, you don't like it you can sleep outside, got it?"

With that she whirled around and stomped up the stairs.

The group of kittens stood in a circle, looking up the stairs with uncertainty.

"I have to admit that Nix-Chan adopting this boy is not intolerable," itachi finally stated hesitantly.

"Yeah! Tobi liked Nicki-Chan! He was very nice!" Tobi agreed excitedly, wiggling wildly.

Pein just sighed before running up the steps, Konan following behind quietly. He walked to the room he remembered nix sleeping in and peered around the edge of the doorway cautiously.

Nix was seated on her bed, the entirety of the folder spread out before her as she held several papers, reading and signing, clearly ignoring the two spying kittens peering around her door.

Pein gathered his tattered pride and walked into the room, jumping onto the bed carefully avoiding the papers and sat on the pillow, konan following close behind.

"Nix-chan, I was not trying to upset you earlier. i simply do not think it wise to allow anyone else to know of us. It makes me uneasy, knowing I am in a world where I have no power to protect myself or my followers," he began quietly, not wanting to upset her again.

Nix was silent for several seconds before she slid off the bed and walked to the door. She shut it before coming back to the bed and clearing the papers off. she put them back in the folder and laid the folder on the desk. She walked to her closet and dug around for a few seconds before returning to the bed with a small box. She sat back down across from him and set the box down beside her gently.

"Do you know what a copycat killer is?" she asked suddenly, regarding the two kittens seriously.

When both kittens shook their heads she opened a folder that was on top of the box. She pulled out several photos and placed them between them on the bed. Pein and Konan stared at the gruesome photoes and shuddered a little.

"This is the crime scene at Nichalos's house. That is what remains of his family. They were brutally tortured to death, before the pyschopath kidnapped him and tortured him until we found and saved him," Nix said in a soft voice. She turned to the box and opened in, pulling out another folder and pulling out several photos, placing them side by side the other pictures. They could see the resemblance of the crimes, although the second photos seemed worse, more methodical and elaborate.

"Seven years ago, on Christmas Eve, a family was sitting together in their living room, opening presents and laughing, having a good time. It was a cold, snowy night and then someone knocked at the door. The parent's oldest child, a thirteen year old girl, went and opened the door, inviting the stranger in. He seemed nice at first, as he talked with her, following her to the living room where the rest of her family was. She stopped in the kitchen to get a cup of hot chocolate when the first gunshot went off. She had never heard that sound before and didn't know what it was but she could hear her mother scream and, terrified, she ran into the living room. inside was the man, standing over her father with an odd smile on his face. He looked up at her and smiled, looking so pleased with himself. She remembers hearing her mother screaming for her to run away now, but she's frozen in terror. Before she can make herself move, he is in front of her, he grabs her and easily twists her arms behind her back and ties them with duck tape before setting her on the ground and securing her feet. He pats her on the cheek, tells her to be patient and watch the master at work before he turns to her family, her mother trying to protect her two year old brother who is crying and trying to get to his daddy, not understanding why he has a hole in his head or why his brains are leaking onto the carpet. Over the next few hours the girl sits in the corner of the room, sobbing, screaming, and begging him to stop and he tortures and dismembers her family in front of her eyes. After he's done, he comes over to her, covered in blood and worse, runs a sticky hand through her hair and picks her up, and tells her that she should be honored, that she is to become his masterpiece." Nix narrates with a dead look in her eyes.

"Several weeks later, she along with nine other children are rescued, but while all the other children are able to return home to their families, she is the only one all alone, no one willing to take in a broken girl who is a little strange, no longer a child with no patience for adults or their babying. Then one day in the hospital an older man comes in and she recognizes him as the one who carried her out of that hell. For the first time, someone looks directly into her eyes and doesn't skirt around what happened to her. just states that he and his wife will be taking her in and if she has an issue with that she can stick it where the sun don't shine. he realizes she's had it rough, but she can decide to let it control how she acts and hold her back from living or she can stop being a menace and treat the adults trying to help her with the respect they deserve. Because of him, she goes goes back to school, graduates at the age of sixteen and to graduate from college at eighteen. She gets put on the same team as the man who rescued her and soon, she is saving lives, eventually leading up to a case that is terrifyingly familiar and solving it with the help of an alien kitten and saving an innocent child from having to experience everything she had to. Now she has a chance to help him like I was helped back then and I'll be dammed if I leave him alone," Nix finishes, breathing heavily, tears sparkling in her eyes and making streaks down her cheeks.

She gets up and walks to the door, opening it, ignoring the guilty looking kittens that tumble back as she opens it and exits the room.

The rest of the kittens slink in to the room after she's gone, and jump onto the bed, looking at the pictures silently.

"That's really fucking sick man. That bastard did all that for no reason? Even I wouldn't do something like that, all deaths have a reason to me, I wouldn't make a little kid watch either, that's really messed up," Hidan said, grimacing.

"if Hidan thinks it's wrong, then it really must be," Sasori said with a sigh.

Everyone was silent until Tobi piped up, "So, are we going to be having a new friend soon? Nicki-chan is really nice!"

Pein sighed heavily, "I don't think we have a choice, but I suppose he has no where else to go and we cannot make her abandon him, i think it would probably break her, and she is rather fragile as it is," he says seriously, eyeing his minions.

"I can hear you brats, you know," Nix says from the doorway, her expression halfway between exasperated and amused. She walks past them and opens the window, crawling out and hauling herself out onto the roof awning, she leans back against the house, gazing up at the stars quietly, and smiling a little when the kittens follow her out to drape themselves over her.

"It'll be okay, it'll all work out, just watch," she said to Pein quietly, brushing a gentle hand over his head.

Pein looked away, hoping she was right. As they were, they were worse than useless, if anything were to happen, he wouldn't be able to keep anyone safe. it was not a feeling he liked.


	8. Chapter 7

**hello! Thank you to everyone who reviewed, it makes me very happy! Hope you enjoy this chapter.**

 **I only own my characters!**

 **Chapter 7**

Nix woke up sweltering hot. She looked around groggily, seeing the shape of ten small kittens sprawled out on top of and around her. She sat for a moment, trying to remember what had woken her. She felt like she was forgetting something important. At that moment her phone went off, startling her. She jumped, grabbing her phone and answering it. The person on the other end had her swearing and throwing her covers off, scattering half asleep kittens as she jumped from bed and ran to the bathroom.

"Give me a half hour and I'll be ready! I'm so sorry!" she said into the phone before hanging up.

"Why didn't any of you wake me up! You're good at doing that any other day! Now I'm super late for getting to the hospital. They're discharging him at 11:30, which is five minutes from now!" Nix wailed through the door at the amused kittens on the other side of the door.

"Nix-chan, we have tried to wake you, several times. The last time you knocked Tobi off the bed," Itachi said from the desk where he was sitting, long black tail curled around his feet.

"gah," was his only response as they heard the shower turn on. Ten minutes later the shower turned off and she reemerged, wearing a t-shirt and old sweatpants, rubbing a towel through her still damp long hair.

She grabbed her jacket from the ground, hopping on one foot awkwardly, trying to get her socks on. She ran down the stairs, into the kitchen to start the coffee pot, and grabbed her tennis shoes from their spot in front of the door. She checked her watch, decided she didn't have enough time to make food for herself and instead grabbed the left overs, put them in the microwave while grabbing a coffee cup, pouring herself a cup. She pulled out the food and dished it into a couple dishes for her kitties before dashing back up the stairs to grab her badge and the folder of papers she needed. Running down the stairs she reard a horn honk outside and deposited her coffee cup on the table before running out the front door with a quick goodbye to the kittens who were watching her, still amused.

"I'll be back later, be good!" She called ,shutting the door behind her.

"Sorry I'm so late, thanks for getting me," Nix said to her mentor, smiling at him.

"Of course, you'd never make it to anything on time without someone reminding you," Alex teased, glancing over at her as he drives.

"Meh," was her only response, knowing that he was probably right. She thought of the young boy she was going to adopt, feeling a mixture of terror and elation that the day had come, as well as a bit of worry that her kitten gang would forget the no talking around him rule, before shrugging it away, deciding on focusing on the excitement instead.

Four hours later had Nix and Nichalos waving goodbye to Alex, Nix holding his one suitcase and Nickalos clinging to the small stuffed cat in his arms.

She opened the door, ushering him in and shut the door behind her before setting his suitcase down on the floor.

"Nix-chan is home!" Tobi cried, running into the room. Nix face palmed.

"Tobi, get back here! we're not supposed to talk around other people remember?" Deidara snapped, stalking into the room after him and freezing when he looked up to meet a shocked Nichalos's eyes.

"Shit, un, um...meow?" Deidara tried, sweatdropping as he darted forward to grab the now silent Tobi and pulled him behind him to leave the room.

Nix buried her face in her hands. "Oh my god. They are going to be the death of me," she mumbled before looking up at a very confused boy.

"I can explain?" she tried, giving him a weak smile.

"Your cats talk?" he asked.

"Umm, yes? Among other things?" Nix answered slowly.

Nichalos smiled widely. "That's awesome! Where are they? Can I see them, I missed them at the hospital the last few days anyways," he said, bouncing in place a little.

"You're not freaked out?" she asked, surprised.

"No, it's super cool! besides, I'm not super surprised, I could tell they were different when you would visit me, I just didn't know how," he answered.

Nix sighed and shrugged. "I know you guys can hear me, may as well come say hi, since he knows know," she called.

Eight very sheepish kittens slunk into the room.

"Sorry Nix-chan, Tobi forgot," Tobi said.

"It's fine Hallow, you guys play nice while I go bring this suitcase upstairs and start supper, alright?" Nix said, waving carelessly.

"Nicky-chan is here! Tobi is so happy to see you again!" Tobi cried, lunging at the small boy. Nichalos smiled and hugged the small energetic kitten, plopping down in the middle of the floor.

"So,why do you keep saying Tobi?" he asked.

"Because Tobi is Tobi!" is the helpful explanation he gets.

"Tobi means that Tobi is his real name. Hallow is what she calls him," Shadow explained, his long black tail curling around his feet.

"So what's your real names?" he asked.

"I am Itachi and the blue kitten is my parter, Kisame." the black kitten said.

"I'm Deidara and Sasori is my partner, he's the red one, un!" the yellow kitten said cheerfully.

"I am Zetsu and you already know who Tobi is," the black and white kitten said.

"I'm Hidan and that grouch over there is Kakazu, the one who's covered in stitch marks," the white kitten said with a kittie smile, ignorinng the growl he gets from the brown kitten.

"I am Pein and this is Konan, " the orange kitten said simply.

"Now you see why I call them by their other names? They're a bit of a mouthful to say," Nix said as she walked back into the room and leaned against the wall with a little smile.

"I like both of their names," the little boy said fairly.

"Well, I came in here to see if there was anything special you were craving for food, or I can just order pizza or something," Nix said.

"Um, pizza sounds good, if that's okay," he said shyly.

"Pizza it is," nix said, walking back to the kitchen to grab her phone.

"Any preferences on toppings?" She called from the kitchen.

"Pepperoni!" Deidara yelled.

"Anything as long as it has peppers on it," Sasori responded.

"Tobi wants extra cheese!" Tobi cried.

"Guys, I was meaning Nichalos," she said dryly, "I already know what you guys like,"

"I like cheese with ham and olives and mushrooms," Nichalos said uncertainly.

Nix smiled at him as she dialed the number, "Sounds delicious," she said with a little smile.


	9. Chapter 8

**Okay, here is the newest chapter. I am going to post this for all my stories, but i have noticed that while I have a lot of views, no one really reviews. It doesn't have to be a lot, but it is really frustrating to get tons of views and no reviews. I just like to know people are enjoying the story.**

 **I only own my characters, and I hope you enjoy this chapter!**

 **Chapter 8**

Nix woke up to the sound of Nichalos whimpering in his sleep. She sighed as she rolled out of bed carefully, trying to avoid crushing any of the kittens sleeping around her. She walked quietly to the room next to hers and opened the door to see the little boy tossing and turning, caught in another nightmare.

"Nicky, Nicky honey, wake up. You're having a nightmare sweetheart," she said softly, sitting beside him and gently shaking him.

He woke with a gasp and sat up, shaking. Nix wrapped her arms around him, rubbing his back gently as he clung to her, whispering comforting nonsense.

"Are you alright?" she asked, after he had let go and sat back.

he shook his head, not meeting her eyes. "I don't like sleeping," he confessed in a tiny voice, "he keeps coming back everytime I close my eyes,"

Nix pulled his covers back and tugged on his hand gently, "Come on, it'll be a tight squeeze with all the kittens sleeping on the bed too, but you can sleep with me tonight, help keep the nightmares away," she said.

He followed her instructions without complaint, showing how shaken he really was, and clung tightly to her hand as he followed her back to her room. Inside the kittens were awake, sitting up on her bed.

"You get in first, I'll lay closest to the door," she instructed softly.

Nickalos slid under the covers and scooted over to the window, curling up into a little ball. Tobi, Itachi, Sasori, and Konan curled up around him and he tugged Tobi closer, bundling him under his chin. Nix smiled a little as she climbed back into the bed and the rest of the kittens arranged themselves around her.

"Thanks you guys," she whispered to Pein, who was laying by her head on the pillow.

"You are supposed to work tomorrow and Nicky has to go to school tomorrow. He has had nightmares every night for the past two months except for when he sleeps in here. It may be better to simply buy a larger bed and have him sleep in here until he no longer has nightmares, Nix-chan, or else you will be tired when working and from what you have described of your job, that is a dangerous state to be in," he answered.

"Yeah, that might be best," she whispered back as she stroked Nicky's hair comfortingly as she slowly drifted back to sleep.

Bright and early the next morning the alarm went off, startling her awake as she sat up and fumbled blindly for the alarm, dislodging kittens and Nicky as she tried to turn it off.

Finally shutting it off, she looked around to see ten kittens and one boy looking at her with unimpressed expressions.

"If you're sleeping in here, it's not my fault that my alarm wakes you up," she said defensively, sliding out of the warm bed and crossing the room to her closet, pulling some clothes out and heading into the bathroom, "Besides, it is school today, so you should start getting ready anyways Nicky," she called from the bathroom.

Nicky cringed at the reminder a little but climbed out of the bed as well and headed back to his room, Itachi and a few of the other kittens following him.

"Do you think you will be okay? You look nervous, Nicky-san," Itachi asked quietly as he jumped onto the boy's bed and watched as he began digging through his closet half heartedly.

"I'm not really scared to go back, I just know that everyone is going to stare at me and ask questions, and I don't want that," he answered, leaving the closet for the moment to sit on the bed by the kittens.

"if you do not want to answer questions, tell them that when they ask, you do not have to tell them anything if you do not want to," Sasori said.

"Maybe it'll be that easy. I wish one of you could go with though," Nicky answered.

Nicky blinked, shocked when there was suddenly four people sitting on his bed where there had been kittens moments before.

"Huh, so it works for Nicky- san to, un" A young male with long blonde hair, blue eyes, with feline ears and a tail said, looking down at himself.

Nicky gaped at them, mouth opening and closing as he tried to say something.

"Nicky-chan doesn't look very good!" the smallest one on the bed said, voice coming from behind an orange mask.

"I will go get the others and Nix-chan," the only female said, as she got up and headed out the door.

"Nicky-san, you need to calm down. You are beginning to hyperventilate," the one closest to him said, moving towards him slowly.

Nichalos lurched back and fell off the bed, or started to, as a pair of hands flashed out and grabbed his shoulders gently, stopping him from falling.

"Oh boy, this is going to be interesting!" a voice said from the door.

He looked over to see the rest of the kittens at the door, Hidan at the front.

They walked in and there was suddenly a lot less room as every one of the kittens changed.

Nicky at this point was past hyperventilating and with a sigh, Sasori walked back out and returned a few seconds later with a paper bag. He pressed it to Nicky's face and gently forced him to put his head between his legs.

"What the heck?" Everyone except Nicky, who was still panting, looked over to see Nix gawking at the filled room, Pein and Konan, both in the same form, behind her.

"what happened?" she asked Sasori, seeing him standing behind the boy, who was still bent over.

"He hyperventilated. We should probably move to another room so he is not so crowded, once he recovers enough to walk," Sasori responded.

"Uh, yeah," she answered before shaking herself a little. "Everyone, head to the living room, we'll be down in a few minutes, okay?"

Everyone filed out and headed down the stairs obediently, Pein and Konan going last.

Nix walked in and knelt down in front of Nichalos, patting his knee comfortingly.

"You okay?" she asked when he looked up at her.

"what was that?" he asked, sounding just shy of hysterical.

"Um, it's kinda a long story, but you don't have to be scared of them, okay? I promise you you're still safe here," she reassured him.

After a few minutes he heisitantly followed her downstairs, staying behind her as they entered the living room to see everyone sitting on the couches, chairs and floor, looking at them.

"why don't you guys reintroduce yourselves?" Nix suggested quietly, Nicky looking at them from behind her cautiously.

The orange haired man nodded.

"I am Pein," he said before gesturing to the lavender haired female sitting next to him.

"My name is Konan," she said with a little smile.

"I am Itachi," the man with long black hair and red eyes said.

"Kisame," the blue haired giant went next.

"Sasori," the red head who had gotten him the paper bag said.

"Deidara, un!" the blonde said cheerfully.

"Kakuzu," the oldest looking man there said.

"Hidan," said the man with white hair and pink eyes.

"I am Zetsu," the black and white man said as he kept one hand on the collar of the person sitting next to him, keeping him from jumping up.

"Hi! I'm Tobi!" he said excitedly.

Nix smiled down at the dumbfounded boy. "Seem a little more familiar now?" she asked.

"You were kittens though," Nicky said, as he relaxed a tiny bit and moved to stand by Nix's side instead of hiding behind her.

"We talked, didn't that seem strange to you? Honestly, i don't see why this is such a huge shock to you," Hidan said, rolling his eyes.

"I guess, I just didn't think you could change, though! No one told me!" Nicky protested, sounding a little offended.

"Yeah, that was probably my bad, this should have been brought up a lot sooner," Nix said, looking sheepish.

"Ummm, so what are you guys? Aliens?" Nicky asked.

"We are not aliens. Why is that the first thing you think?" Kakuzu asked with a scowl.

"Well,what are you then?" Nicky asked.

"We're ninja, and from what I can gather, are in a different world," Itachi answered.

"Wow, that's kinda cool I guess," Nicky said.

"You seem to be taking this pretty calmly now," Nix stated, looking at him with raised eyebrows.

He blushed a little and ducked his head. "i think I managed to get most of my freak out over before you came in," he said sheepishly.

"Well in that case, the school bus is here," she said with a little smirk, glancing out the window, "Aaand, it's gone. Looks like you're walking, kiddo,"

"What?!" Nicky yelped, jumping up and running to the window.

"Get moving kiddo, I have to leave in fifteen minutes and you need to leave in five if you don't want to be late on your first day back," she said as she left the room.

Nicky flopped back, "Geez, this sucks," he grumbled.

"If Nicky needs to get to school soon, Tobi can bring you! Tobi can get there really fast!" Tobi exclaimed cheerfully.

"What are you talking about? You know what, nevermind. If you want to go with me and keep me company on the way there, i'd like that," Nicky said as he ran out of the room to grab his bag.

He ran back in a moment later and yelled, 'Tobi's gonna walk with me to school! I'll see you later!"

Nix came down the stairs, slipping her gun into the holster on her back and pulling her shirt down over it. She gathered her long hair into a ponytail and gave Nicky a quick hug.

"If it's to much and you end up needing to leave, just leave okay? Don't force yourself, I won't be mad if you decide that," she said, looking him in the eyes with a serious expression.

"Kay, thanks. Be safe," he mumbled, hugging her again tightly.

She chuckled softly, "of course, you too," she said fondly, ruffling his hair before looking up at Tobi sternly.

"You keep an eye on him, kay?" she said softly.

"Tobi will!" Tobi said.

"I'll see you later, I'm going to leave," she said. Then she was gone.

Tobi and Nicky left a few minutes later. Once they got to the end of the block, Tobi scooped the small boy up and deposited him onto his back.

"Tobi! What are you doing?! Put me down!" he screeched, struggling.

"But this way is faster! Hold tight so Tobi doesn't drop you! Tobi responded excitedly.

"What are you talking...aaah!" Nicky screamed as Tobi ran straight up the side of a house and launched himself off the roof. He landed on the next roof and began jumping from roof to roof quickly.

"Oh my god Tobi! You're going to kill us! Put me down you psychopath!" Nicky screamed, wrapping his arms around Tobi's neck tighter.

"Brat, calm down and loosen your grip. I assure you that I am not going to drop you," Tobi responded, but he sounded so different from usual.

Nicky went tense, "S-sorry," he whispered, beginning to shake.

Feeling the boy on his back tense, Tobi glanced back and saw that Nicky was looking even more terrified than he'd sounded a few seconds ago. He sighed and aimed for the top branches of the nearest tree. He released his grip on Nicky and had to lunge forward and catch him as the kid slid right off him and nearly fell off the branch.

"When I said loosen your grip, i didn't mean stop hanging on at all," he scolded lightly, setting him back against the trunk as he crouched down.

"Sorry," Nicky mumbled, not looking up, still tense.

Tobi sighed, "I'm not mad brat, stop apologizing," he said, waving a hand.

Nicky still didn't look up, and he was about to press the issue when he heard the faint sound of a bell.

"We'll talk later, but the bell just went. If you want I will bring you the rest of the way, otherwise I'll just bring you to the ground," he said.

Nicky heisitated but slowly looked back up at him. He got to his feet slowly and nearly fell off again.

Tobi caught him again and Nicky looked up at his mask, "I really don't like heights, they make me dizzy if I look down. But I trust you and I don't wanna be any later so can you bring me the rest of the way, please?" he asked.

Tobi's one visible eye widened and he nodded. He turned around and waited until the young boy had a good grip before standing up and jumping again, being noticibly more careful.

"I...did not know you were afraid of heights. i should have asked first, I apologize," Tobi said after a second.

"It's ok, I didn't mean to offend you," Nicky said back, chin over his right shoulder and eyes tightly closed.

Before he could reply the school came into sight and he set Nicky down out of sight.

"I'll be waiting here if you change your mind or when you get out, whichever comes first," he said and disappeared from view.

Nicky shrugged and turned to the school. Taking a deep breath, he resettled his bag and began walking.

Out of sight on a roof of a nearby building, Tobi sat and watched.


	10. Chapter 9

**here is chapter 9. If you like the story please review.**

 **I only own my characters.**

 **Enjoy!**

 **Chapter 9**

Tobi sat on the ledge of the roof, legs hanging over as he thought about Nicky's words earlier. He still wasn't sure what had possessed him to drop his silly act, it had clearly frightened the boy, and now he would have to make sure Nicky wouldn't tell anyone, without scaring him more.

He sat on the roof for a few hours before hearing another bell ring and the door opened, students coming out, lunch bags in hand, chattering loudly. He stood up when he saw Nicky slip out a side door and head off to a group of trees, a ways away from the crowd.

He looked down at himself, shrugged, and performed a henge, relieved that he had enough chakra. Making sure no one was looking his way, he jumped off the building, and made his way to the school grounds, skirting the edges, heading over to the boy he could see pulling out a sandwich.

Nicky was just about to bite into his sandwich, trying to ignore any stares directed his way, when a familiar voice startled him.

"Mind if I join you?"

He yelped and nearly dropped his food as he looked up, meeting a pair of amused eyes.

"Tobi! What are you doing here?" he whispered loudly, looking around to see if anyone had noticed. Everyone was staring.

Tobi just gave him a lazy grin, settling down in the grass in front of him and resting his hands behind him.

"I was bored, sitting on a roof all day is boring, besides you looked like you could use a little company, brat," he answered.

Nicky studied the young man in front of him. Short, scruffy black hair framed a scarred face. His whole left side was a mess of scars and when Tobi caught him staring his grin became a little more wry.

"They look worse than they are," he said.

"Is that why you always wear a mask? So people don't stare at your scars?" Nicky asked.

"Mm, not exactly, but a bit," he answered.

Nicky sweatdropped, "that's not an answer Tobi," he said flatly.

"It is, just not the one you wanted," Tobi answered with a smirk.

Nicky rolled his eyes, "I can't decide if I like this you or the other you better," he grumbled.

"About that, i'd like it if you would keep these conversations a secret from the others," Tobi said seriously.

"Why?" Nicky asked.

"None of your business, brat," Tobi drawled.

"If you don't want me telling anyone, it kinda is," Nicky pointed out, raising an eyebrow.

"it's complicated," Tobi sighed.

"then, if I promise not to tell anyone, will you promise something too?" nicky asked, pulling his legs up and resting his chin on his knees.

"If it's reasonable," Tobi said after a moment.

"You won't ever hurt us, right? Even if you get mad?" Nicky asked in a tiny voice, not looking up.

Tobi was speechless for several moments. Choking down his anger, he answered in a calm voice, "I would not hurt you or Nix, ever. You two are important people to me, I try to protect those I care for, brat,"

Nicky shot him such a relieved smile, he had to fight to keep his face neutral. He jumped a little when Nicky suddenly lunged forward and gave him a quick hug before letting him go and getting up, grabbing his bag.

"Thanks Tobi, I'll see you later, okay?" he said with a little grin, before running back to the school as the bell rang again.

Tobi sat in the grass, frozen for several minutes before he flopped back with a huff.

"Kami help me," he grumbled.

"Um, sir?"

Tobi opened his eyes, looking up to see a nervous woman fiddling with her glasses.

"yeah?" he finally drawled, when she didn't say anything.

"Um, if you aren't a student, you're not supposed to be here..." she said timidly.

Tobi rolled his eyes, but got to his feet smoothly and began to walk off.

"Where are you going?" she called, sounding alarmed.

"I'm leaving, not a student, remember?" he called over his shoulder, raising a hand .

At the end of the school day, Nicky walked out of the school, face brightening when he spotted Tobi.

He ran over to where the older boy was standing and looked up at him with a smile.

"You actually waited the whole day for me?" he said, sounding happy and surprised.

Tobi rolled his eyes and ruffled the kid's inky hair, "Said I would, I don't break promises kid, now let's get going," he said.

"We're walking this time, right?" Nicky asked.

"Walking is so slow though," Tobi grumbled as they walked away from the school.

Nicky made a face, "I don't like your way of transportation. It's dangerous, what if you fall? You'd break your neck and die!" He protested.

"If I fall, then I deserve whatever happens," Tobi said, rolling his eyes again. "Unless I'm unconscious, I won't fall, I have good chakra control," he continued.

"What's chakra?" Nicky asked, looking confused.

"Basically, all living things have it, I and the others can use it to do cool things, like walk on walls, jump really far, run really fast, stuff like that," he said.

"Do I have it?" Nicky asked, curious.

"What part of all living things did you not understand, brat?" Tobi huffed, "Although, it's not very much and it's blocked. All the humans I've seen here are like that, it's very strange,"

"Do you think I could use it?" Nicky asked.

"I...don't know. Maybe? That would be a question for Itachi or Sasori, they'd know better, i think." he said slowly.

When the house came into sight, he quickly dropped his henge and eyed Nicky.

"Remember your promise, brat" he said quietly.

"Don't worry Tobi," nicky said, rolling his eyes as he nudged him playfully.

Entering the house, Nicky dumped his bag on the couch. He jumped when Itachi spoke up from behind him.

"You're back? How was you're first day Nicky-san?" Itachi asked politely.

"Eh, school sucks, but that's normal," Nicky said, shrugging. He brightened after a moment and bounced forward.

"Hey Itachi, can you help me with something?" he asked earnestly.

Itachi looked at him in mild suspicion. "What is it?' he asked.

"Tobi mentioned I have this stuff called chakra, but he said it's not very much and it's stuck. I asked if I'd be able to use it and he said to ask you, so do you think I would be able to?" he asked, clasping his hands together.

Itachi studied him for several seconds before his eyes turned red unexpectedly.

"What's that?!" Nicky yelped.

"Sharingan, quiet please," Itachi said distractedly.

"That is very odd. You seem to almost have an extra system in your body that the chakra circulates through, although it does seem to connect to your body systems. I suppose in theory it would be as simple as introducing more chakra to your system until the two systems combine," Itachi said after a moment, his eyes fading back to black.

"Will it hurt?" Nicky asked.

Itachi gave a little shrug, "I do not know, I've never seen this before, but I wouldn't think so, medical chakra isn't harmful and it shouldn't affect your physical body," he said.

"Cool! Can you do it? Please?" Nicky begged.

"I don't think we should without Nix-chan's approval first," Itachi said hesitantly.

"Do what?" Deidara asked, coming into the room, the rest of the Akatsuki behind him.

"let me use chakra!" Nicky said excitedly.

"You think he would be able to do that?" Pein asked Itachi, looking at him curiously.

"In theory, flooding his system with chakra should be enough, but I think it would be best to wait until Nix-chan is back," Itachi responded.

"Come on, you said it shouldn't hurt, please?" Nicky begged.

"I am the most experienced with medical jutsu, so I could try," Sasori offered.

"Yeah!" Nicky said excitedly.

"This could end badly, you realize," Itachi warned.

"it'll be fine," Nicky said, waving a hand.

"Alright, lay down on the couch and we'll begin" Sasori said.

Nicky laid down obediently and Sasori crouched down beside him.

"you will let me know if it begins to hurt," he ordered.

Nicky nodded and with that Sasori placed a faintly glowing hand on his chest.

"Woah, that feels, really weird," Nicky said, looking down where his chest was glowing faintly.

A few minutes pass before a low humming fills the air and the front windows suddenly shatter. At the same time Nicky gives a pained grunt and falls unconscious.

"What the hell?!" Nix screeched, having been about to open the door when her windows shattered. She looks up to see Nicky unconscious on the couch, glowing faintly, and several very guilty faces.


	11. Chapter 10

**hi everyone! here is chapter 10. Thank you to everyone who reviewed, it made me happy. I am also very excited that I passed the 4,000 views mark!**

 **As always, if you like the story or have any constructive criticism, please review, they make me very happy.**

 **I don't own any but my characters.**

 **Also! The song is not mine! The first person to tell me the title and artist wins the choice of the next song I use though!**

 **Enjoy!**

 **Chapter 10**

Nix was exhausted, it'd been a very long and stressful day at the station, and she was looking forward to getting home and relaxing for the night. But of course, that was not meant to be. As she struggled to get her key in the lock, all of a sudden all of her front windows exploded, throwing glass shards everywhere.

"What the hell is going on?!" she shrieked, upon entering her house to see her adoptive son laying comatose on the couch, glowing a faint green and several very guilty looking males looking back at her.

"Nicky?!" She said worriedly, shoving past the Akatsuki members to crouch down beside him. Her fingers found the pulse in his neck and she sighed in relief at the strong and steady beat.

"I want to know what happened, and I want to know right now," she stated harshly, feeling anger take the place of fear.

"Nicky-san returned from school a little while ago with Tobi. Tobi apparently brought up chakra and mentioned that his body has it. He came to me as soon as they returned and asked if I could make it so he could access it. I insisted we wait until you return, but he was insistent. The others overheard and Sasori offered to do it. It did not harm him any, the glow is chakra entering his body, and the energy from combining his physical and chakra system, exploded outward, destroying the front windows as you witnessed," Itachi explained, throwing his fellow Akatsuki members under the bus with no remorse whatsoever.

Nix groaned and buried her face in her hands.

"Ninjas or not, boys are reckless I guess," she grumbled to herself. Looking up, she fixed a glare on them.

"Why didn't you listen to Shadow? Nicky is my kid in the eyes of the law. If they think he's in danger here, they will take him away forever and we will never see him again. Do you understand that? If you want to do something, talk to me first! What were you thinking?!" She snapped.

"But he wasn't in any danger,un!" Deidara protested. The others nodded in agreement except Itachi.

"Apparently none of you have ever had kids or younger siblings except Shadow," Nix said dryly as she gently shook the small boy on the couch.

"Nicky? You okay, honey?" she said softly, trying to wake him.

Nicky gave a little groan as he started to come around.

"Mph,what happened?" Nicky groaned, sitting up slowly and rubbing his head.

"You're body shut down to process the increased amount of chakra," Sasori said, coming forward to lay a pale glowing hand on his forehead. "But, everything seems to be functioning properly," he finished.

"Well,I'm glad you're okay, because it would have been difficult explaining what happened to someone at a hospital, don't you agree Nichalos?"

Nicky jumped in surprise and gulped as he looked up at his guardian slowly. She looked pissed.

"Hi," he mumbled, looking down.

"Nichalos Emandi Leedlow. What the HELL were you thinking?!" Nix exclaimed, crossing her arms and fixing him with an angry stare.

"I was fine," Nicky started, mouth snapping shut with a cringe when Nix's expression got angrier.

"You don't understand, do you?! Why would you do something so reckless without asking me first? If it truly wasn't dangerous, do you think I would have said no just to be cruel? I care about you!" She said, voice raising to a shout by the end.

Nicky felt anger swell. "I never asked you to care! If I'm so much trouble, why don't you just get rid of me, Huh?! Besides, you aren't my mom! I don't have to ask for permission, cuz you aren't my parents! They're dead!" Nicky screamed back, standing up and hugging himself defensively.

"Nicky-San..." Itachi said quietly, shocked.

"Shut up! Just leave me alone!" Nicky screamed.

Nix gasped as she was slammed into the wall by an invisible force, the wind knocked from her lungs. She winced as her head cracked again the corner of a picture, feeling blood trickle from the injury.

Nicky stared, going several shades paler.

"Nix-Chan, are you alright?!" Itachi asked, going forward as nix slumped to the ground, the force having released her. She put a hand to her head, feeling a little dazed.

Nicky's eyes filled with tears when he saw the blood on her hand.

Nix looked up to see his expression. "Nicky..." She started.

Nicky bolted from the room.

With a little groan, Nix hauled herself to her feet, waving off the others concern.

"I'm fine, it was an accident and I'm not hurt, it's just a scrape. I'm going to go find him and talk to him, I want the rest of you except Shadow to go kitty again. I want him to call the police and come up with a believable lie about my front windows that don't involve the money to fix them coming out of my paycheck. Understand?" She said, eyeing everyone with hidden satisfaction as all but one human became a cat once again.

She walked up the stairs to her room and paused outside the door, hearing the muffled cries from within. Opening the door gently, she entered the room to see Nicky wrapped up in her blanket, on the floor in the corner, back to her.

She sighed quietly when he stiffened, but crossed the room to sit next to him.

"I lost my entire family when I was around your age. I couldn't do anything to save them. So I promised myself that I'd never let that happen again. So when you, or anyone else who is precious to me puts themselves in any sort of danger, I hate it. I love you so much, it would kill me if I ever lost you. That's why I was so angry, I'm terrified of losing you pup." She said softly.

Nicky whirled around and threw his arms around her, sobbing and apologizing hysterically.

Nix wrapped her arm around him, tugging him into the circle of her arms and curling over him protectively, tugging the blanket to cover him fully as she stroked his hair with her other hand.

"'M sorry," he whimpered repeatedly as he clung to her.

"It's alright. I forgive you, I love you," she whispered into his ear.

"They died two months ago, why does it still hurt so much?" Nicky whimpered.

Nix sighed. "It'll always hurt pup," she whispered. It was silent for a few moments before she began to sing in soft voice.

 **"Shattered, like you've never been before. The life you knew, in a thousand pieces on the floor. And words fall short, in times like these, when this world drives you to your knees, you think you'll never get back to the you you used to be.**

 **Tell your heart to beat again. Close your eyes and breath it in. Let the shadows fall away, step into the light of day. Yesterday's a closing door, you don't live there anymore, say goodbye to where you've been, and tell you're heart to beat again."**

As she sang, tears trickled down her cheeks slowly, her own grief still making her heart ache, even after so many years.

"I'm sorry, I'm so sorry. I didn't mean it. I love you to, please don't leave me. It hurts so much" Nicky whimpered into her neck.

"I know sweetling, I know," was the only thing she could say as she held him tight, unaware of their audience spying from the doorway.


	12. Chapter 11

**hello, here is the next chapter. Thank you to everyone who revised, favorites and followed, it made me very happy!** **I only own my characters and I hope you enjoy the chapter.**

chapter 11

A few days later, Nicky awoke to a rare occasion. following his nose to the kitchen, he paused in the doorway and watch Nix, clad only in a ratty tank top and pajama shorts, dance around the kitchen as she prepared eggs, bacon, and pancakes. she swayed along to the song blar8ng through her headphones, singing along at different times, completely unaware of her audience.

Nicky turned around, sensing Hi Dan and Deidara just in time to shush them. Tobi, Itachi, and Sasori had begun some basic chakra exercises with him, and he'd quickly realized that he was able to sense other people with ease. he'd been informed by Sasori that he was a sensor, which was fairly rare and was a helpful ability he'd come to appreciate greatly, but he just liked the fact that people couldn't sneak up on him anymore.

he put a finger to his lips, waving the other frantically, signaling them to stay quiet.

seeing the two were going to listen, for now, he dashed up the stairs into his room. diving under his bed, he pulled out a dusty box. pulling the top off he dug through its contents, grinning in victory when he pulled out the video camera he'd gotten for his last birthday.

running back down the stairs as quietly as he could, he skidded to a stop and peeked around the corner, readying his video camera as Nix continued singing, completely oblivious to her audience.

she bobbed her head as she sang, quietly but happier than he'd seen her before.

 _"people like us, we gotta stick together. keep your head up, nothing lasts forever. here's to the damned, lost and forgotten. hard to keep your head up when you're living on the bottom,"_

She sang, before giving a startled yelp as she turned around and Nicky wasn't fast enough to duck back behind the doorway.

"Nicky, you scared the crap out of me! why are you skulking around the corner like a thief," she exclaimed.

"Sorry, Nixy. you seemed to be having so much fun, I didn't want to bother you. didn't mean to scare you." Nichalos said sheepishly, entering the kitchen.

Nix's eyebrows raised as she watched an equally sheepish Hidan and Deidara walk in behind him.

"were you recording me?" Nix asked, not angry, just curious.

"yeah, sorry," Nicky said, looking down.

"I'm not mad, it doesn't bother me, but why, anand where did you get the video camera?" Nix said, looking down at him curiously.

"my mom and dad gave it to me for my last birthday. I like recording people and making movies. the three of us used to do it all the time, the movies were cooler than a picture book and it's interesting seeing people when they don't see you," Nicky explained shyly.

"Hm, you know something? my family used to do something similar. I actually think I have a couple of them sasaved in the box in my closet." Nix said, surprising him.

"Really? can we see them, please?" Nicky begged.

"I guess so, but don't make a mess in the closet and eat first, I have somewhere I need to be today and I'd like you to come along. a couple others cam come along as well, as long as they don't mind being kittens," Nix said.

"Kay, thanks!" Nicky said, running out of the kitchen, snagging Deidara and Hidan to help him search.

"I said to eat first!" Nix called after him with an amused smile,watching as Nicky and the others came back.

The rest of the Akatsuki meandered into the kitchen, lured in by the delicious smell beginning to fill the house.

"Can I go look for them now?" Nicky pleaded once his plate was empty.

"Ok, ok. Go ahead, I'll do the dishes this time," she said, waving him off and laughing under her breath when he ran from the kitchen.

Deidara and Hidan followed close behind him, trying and failing to look uninterested.

"What are those three so excited about?" Kisame asked.

"I told Nicky he could watch a few family videos my parents made when I was younger," she said, shrugging a little and turning to drop a stack of dishes in the sink.

Curious, the rest of the Akatsuki, minus pein and Tobi, made their way to the living room, just as Nicky and the other two came down the stairs, a small wooden box held carefully in Nicky arms.

Once everyone was situated around the room, Nicky opened the box to see six VCR tapes neatly labeled and laying nestled in the bottom. Nicky took out the first and pushed it into the video player carefully.

After a few seconds of static the video cleared to show a young man with bright green eyes and black hair tied back in a low ponytail. He was grinning at the woman standing next to him, his arm around her waist. She had short brown hair in a pixie cut and eyes that looked almost turquoise. There were bags under her eyes and line of exhaustion lining her face but she was smiling with joy as she looked down at the small baby sleeping peacefully in her arms.

"Welcome to the world Ananixita! We love you and are so glad you're finally here," the man said.

The woman snorted, "you're glad? I'm the one who had an eighteen hour labor time," she joked tiredly , leaning into him a little more, "trust me. No one is happier than I am,"

The man dropped a kiss on the top of her head. "You're right, and I love you very much too," he said with a fond smile.

"Cheesey," she teased and gave him another smile before the video turned back to static.

A new video starts. The same man from before is sitting on the couch, a giggly, squirming baby on his lap.

"Just wait, Mara, her first words are going to be daddy." He said, as he bounced the baby girl.

"Yeah right. It's clearly going to be mama, since I'm her favorite, don't get your hopes up Gabriel, all that disappointment can't be good for your self esteem," the woman, who was holding the camera passed back.

At that moment the little girl giggled and burbled, "fock!" And clapped her tiny hands cheerfully.

There was matching, stunned silence from both sides of the tv before the people watching the video began laughing hysterically. Meanwhile, on the screen, Gabriel is sputtering in horror while Mara seems torn between outrage and utter amusement.

"Who taught her that?!" She managed.

"No,no,no,no. Not my pure, sweet Nixita! That is a bad word sweetie! Very bad! Say dada instead! Dada, dada!" Gabriel pleaded, a little hysterically.

The little girl just giggled again and smacked her tiny hands on his face, giving him a wide gummy smile.

"Fock, F ock, fock, Amma,dada, fock!" She babbled, clapping her hands.

Mara lost all control and the camera dropped as she began laughing hysterically, nearly wheezing for breath. While her husband's voice could be heardbwailing in dismay in the background.

While everyone in the living room is laughing, Nix enters the room and pauses the video, looking at the frozen picture on the screen with an overwhelmingly longing look on her face for a brief moment before she seems to give herself a little shake and turns back to the group with a small, soft smile on her face.

"Alright gang, we need to get going. I can take three of you as kitties, and one of you can come with as human," Nix said softly.

"Aw man, can't we keep watching?" Nicky pleaded.

Nix gave him an amused smile but shook her head firmly.

"Nope. I promised her we'd be there by noon and we're already pushing it, let's go. You can watch some more later, alright?" She said gently, but firmly.


	13. Chapter 12

**here is chapter 12. Hope you enjoy! I'm super excited...this story has over 5,000 views and 24 reviews. Thanks to everyone who's let me know that they enjoy reading my writings. It means a lot to me. Anyways, this chapter has some really important things that happen that will have a big impact later on, so enjoy!**

 **Only own my character.**

 **Chapter 12**

"Um, Nix? Why are we at the hospital?" Nicky asked, turning his head to look at her curiously.

"I'm going to visit a very good friend of mine and I wanted you to meet her," Nix said quietly as she turned the car off and unbundled her seatbelt.

"But, if you are to uncomfortable going to a hospital right now, I'll understand. I'm not going to force you, pup," she reassured.

Nicky stared at the huge white building in silence for a long minute before he took a deep breath and shook his head firmly.

"No, I trust you Nixy. I know you wouldn't have me go along without a good reason. Besides, you never talk about any other friends, so I'm curious to meet this person," he said in a firm tone.

Nix gave him one of her rare full smiles. The one that made her eyes sparkle in happiness and her face suddenly look her 20 years of age that he so often forgot she was. It made him feel happy, knowing he'd said the right thing and that this person, whoever they were, was extremely important to her, and yet she wanted him to meet them.

They excited the car together, itachi, Tobi, and Konan all safely in place, itachi riding on Nix's shoulders and Konan in her arms while Nicky carried Tobi, all three in their kitten forms.

Upon entering the hospital Nix headed straight to the front desk. The nurse on duty looked up and gave her a warm smile.

"Ah, Nix! You're just on time! Everyone is going to be so excited, they've been missing you these last few months," she said.

"Sorry Heidi. It's been a busy time. I'm here to see Meghan and Robyn first, but after I'd love to visit everyone for a while. Give me an hour or so?" Nix said with a little smile.

"Of course. Robyn's been feeling better recently, so you'll probably find the two of them outside in the gardens," the other woman said, waving them off with one last friendly smile.

"Megan and Robyn? Who're they?" Nicky asked, trotting a bit to keep pace with the other girl.

"Megan is my friend, and Robyn is her son. He's about your age," Nix said, looking down and slowing her stride so he could walk next to her without having to run.

"Oh, kay," Nicky said, looking down at the small cat in his arms.

"Nix!" Nicky jerked and looked up in time to see a small woman with long black hair throw herself at Nix in an enthusiastic hug.

Nix chuckled and hugged her back.

It's good to see you too, Megan. How have you been?" Nix asked, releasing her.

"Pretty good. Robyn's been feeling better, so I'm glad you came to see him," she responded.

"I'm glad," Nix said softly with a warm smile.

Nicky jumped a bit when the other woman suddenly addressed him.

"So you must be the reason for Nix's recent disapearance," she said in a teasing tone.

"Um, I guess so?" Nicky said uncertainty, glancing over at Nix then looking back down at Tobi.

He looked up when a hand squeezed his shoulder. Nix smiled warmly at him before addressing the other woman.

"Don't tease him, Meg." Nix scolded lightly before continuing, " This is Nicky, the boy I adopted,"

"Nice to meet you," Nicky mumbled, offering her a faintly wary smile.

Megan smiled back widely. " Nice to meet ya! My little hellion of a child is around here somewhere," she said jokingly.

"Mom, it's not very nice to call people names, and I've been here for the last five minutes," a young boy's voice said from behind her grumpily.

Nicky blinked when a very, very small boy with red hair in tight curls past his ears, and bright blue eyes stepped out from behind Megan to stand by her side.

The other boy looked him over once before turning to give Nix a small smile.

"Hi Nix," he said.

Nix smiled back and gave him a gentle hug.

"Hey Robyn," she said affectionately then, "this is Nicky. Can you show him to the playroom while I catch up with your mom for a little bit?"

Robyn rolled his eyes, but was smiling when he responded, "fine, I guess I can babysit for a bit," he said.

Robyn grabbed Nicky's hand and pulled him along behind him, surprisingly strong for his small size.

Nicky blinked as his brain tried to catch up to the conversations of the last two minutes.

"Hey! What do you mean babysit me?!" He yelped indignately.

The smaller boy rolled his eyes and kept walking.

Nicky trotted a few steps so he was walking beside him instead of being pulled.

"Um, you said you were Robyn right?" Nicky asked hesitantly after a couple moments of awkward silence.

"Yeah,?" Robyn said, looking at him sideways.

"Do you know how your mom and Nix know each other?" Nicky asked. "I've never heard Nix mention any other friends, so it surprised me," Nicky said.

"Yeah, I know how they met," Robyn replied with a little nod.

"Nixy is an amazing person, you know? She's a hero," Robyn said, "at least that's what mom tells me,"

"I kind of know what she does for work, because she saved me, but she doesn't like talking about work when she's at home," Nicky said slowly.

"You've seen her scars, right?" Robyn asked and Nicky nodded.

"Mom told me she got those protecting her and the others. There was a really bad man who was kidnapping kids and hurting them really bad. Mom says that Nixy made a bet with him, that as long as she never asked him to stop when he was hurting her, then he would leave the others alone that day. He didn't think she could, but mom says that Nixy never cried in front of him or asked him to stop, so they didn't get hurt. Mom says that Nixy saved all of them because he focused all on her and it let the police save them and put the very bad man in jail, and everyone was able to go home to their mom's and dad's, except Nixy. She was hurt real bad too, that's what the scars are from," Robyn explained as they walked slowly down the hallway.

"Wow," Nicky whispered.

The next several minutes were filled with silence as both boys were wrapped up in their thoughts. After an elevator ride, however, they arrived at the place they were heading too and Robyn pushed the door open.

Inside was a small sitting/playroom, with an old piano in the corner. The 5 or 6 kids in the room looked up when they entered.

"Robyn, you're here?!" A girl around their age asked, sounding happy to see him.

"Yep. Nixy finally came back, she should be here soon. This is Nicky, the kid she adopted," Robyn said cheerfully in greeting.

Nicky looked around the room unsurely and managed a weak smile as everyone turned to look at him, talking at once in excitement.

"Please hurry up, nix," he thought to himself.


	14. Chapter 13

**I'm very sorry for the long wait! I had writer's block and was stuck. blegh... but here is the next chapter finally!**

 **A few things first...**

 **I don't own Naruto or any characters except my own. This includes the song lyrics included.**

 **If you enjoy the story, please review! it makes me very, very happy!**

 **I know some of the lyrics are wrong, i did that on purpose.**

 **Other than that, i hope you enjoy this newest chapter!**

 **Chapter 13**

Nichalos felt an immense sense of relief as the door opened and Nix walked into the room, Robyn's mom close behind her. He quickly stepped out of the way as the other children, not including Robyn, swarmed her, all chattering excitedly.

Nix smiled down at them warmly, answering their questions with ease born from experience. Nichalos looked at Robyn as he sidled up next to him, leaning against the wall and watching the spectacle as well.

"Aren't you going to join them?" Nicky asked, as he hugged Tobi closer for comfort. From his place around his neck, Sasori watched the red haired boy closely, feeling a strange feeling tighten his chest and making his fur puff up a little. He realized he was digging his claws into Nicky's shoulder when the boy winced below him and reached up to gently pat him on the head. He relaxed his claws and butted his head gently against the boy's fingers in apology.

"Naw, I see Nixy pretty often because mom's good friends with her, the other kid's don't," Robyn said, shrugging casually

"Ok, now i'm pretty sure that it's Misty's turn to choose the first song, Timothy, Lucas and June, you three get to pick next, alright?"

"I want the light song!" a little girl in a wheelchair said excitedly, leaning as far forward as her IV would allow.

Nicky looked over at Robyn is confusion, "the light song?" he asked quietly.

Robyn just shrugged a shoulder towards nix, who was approaching the old piano in the corner.

She sat down and put her hands on the keys, taking a slow deep breath before her fingers started moving rapidly across the keys. A catchy, sweet melody rose from the piano.

Nicky felt himself drawn in as Nix started to sing.

 _"Here I go, here i go, feel better now, feel better now._

 _Here I go, here I go, it's better now, feel better now._

 _Do you remember, when we fell in love?_

 _Did you expect me to reason with thunder?_

 _I still remember when time was frozen,_

 _what seemed forever was just a moment._

 _Hurry up, hurry up, there's no more waiting,_

 _We're still worth saving._

 _Feel the light,_

 _Shining in the dark of night._

 _Remember what we forgot,_

 _I know it's a long shot,_

 _But we're bringing it all back, yeah we're bringing it all back._

Feeling goosebumps shiver down his back, Nichalos quickly pulled his phone out and began to record Nix singing to show the others later.

Once she finished the first song, she sang the other children's song requests before she announced that she only had time for one more song before it was time to go.

"This song is very special to me," she said softly before starting the next song.

 _"They like to kick you when you're down,_

 _Like it better when you're on the ground._

 _And up till now i've never made a sound,_

 _Uh oh, uh oh..._

 _I bet they never had a broken heart,_

 _But they sure know how to beat the hell out of one._

 _Sometimes I think they do it just for the fun_

 _Hey, hey..._

 _But no I'm not leaving, even though I'm bleeding_

 _Even though this nightmare makes me wish I was dreaming,_

 _Even though I hate it, i'm gonna take it,_

 _Until I win._

 _Cuz I'm a comeback, I'm a comeback kid._

 _Don't know why bad things happened, but they did,_

 _I don't think I deserve the hurt I get, but I'm made for it,_

 _It's not the end, not it's not the end,_

 _Cuz I'm a comeback kid._

 _Down for a moment, I'll get up again,_

 _Looks like I'm breaking, but it's just a bend._

 _It's not over yet, cuz in the end,_

 _I'm a comeback, I'm a comeback kid._

 _I'm gonna finish what I started now_

 _You interrupted me with all your doubts,_

 _How dare you forget where I started out._

 _But no i'm not leaving, even though I'm bleeding,_

 _Even though this nightmare makes me wish I was dreaming,_

 _Even though I hate it, I'm gonna take it,_

 _Until I win..._

 _Cuz I'm a comeback, i'm a comeback kid._

 _Dont' know why bad things happened, but they did,_

 _I don't think I deserve the hurt I get, but I'm made for it,_

 _It's not the end, not it's not the end._

 _Cuz in the end, I'm a comeback, I'm a comeback kid._

 _Down for a moment I'll get up again,_

 _Looks like I'm breaking, but it's just a bend,_

 _It's not over yet, cuz in the end..._

 _I'm a comeback, I'm a comeback kid._

 _I believe in what I am, I believe in what I was,_

 _I believe in losing you, I've never been given so much._

 _I believe it's been eight years, the worst I'd ever lived,_

 _But i believe i'm better now, than I've ever been._

 _I believe that ever since everything went south,_

 _I believe in every word that's come out of my mouth._

 _I believe they miss me, but you don't have to miss me,_

 _Cuz i'm not leaving again._

 _Cuz i'm a comeback, I'm a comeback kid,_

 _Down for a moment, I'll get up again,_

 _Looks like I'm breaking, but it's just a bend,_

 _It's not over yet, cuz in the end,_

 _I'm a comeback, I'm a comeback kid._

 _I'll save you a spot in my big parade,_

 _You're all invited on my comeback day,_

 _I'll serve you ice cream and lemonade..._

When nix finished her song everyone was quiet for several moments until Nix stood up to get ready to leave. The other children unfroze and all clamoured for her attention before she left.

To the side, Nicky was silent as he stopped the recording, feeling shaken. Knowing her past, the song that she had just finished was even more powerful. Robyn gave him a knowing look but didn't say anything other than a goodbye as he numbly followed Nix out of the door once she'd given all the other kids goodbye hugs and ruffled Robyn's hair affectionately.

It was only when they were in the car that nicky finally spoke once again.

"That was amazing." he said softly.

Nix glanced at him out of the corner of her eye and turned back to the road with a small smile.

"What was the name of that last song?" he asked softly.

"Comeback kid, by the band perry," she answered.

"I understand why it's a powerful song, but why is it so special to you?" he asked hesitantly, not sure if he was overstepping boundaries or not.

To his surprise, she answered willingly.

"After the police saved us, and i was in the hospital this was a song that I listened to a lot. It gave me the strength to let go of most of my hatred, to be able to move on instead of letting it destroy me. Without that song I might not have ever become a police officer, and I wouldn't have been able to help save all the children I've been able to save,"

Nicky thought about what she said the rest of the way to the house, the kittens who were with them silent as well.

Once they got back to the house he went to his room and set Sasori on the bed.

"I have a question, you mentioned seals one time last week, about how they can do almost anything if you have the right sequence, right?" he asked.

The air around the red kitten shivered and when his eyes refocused, there was a young redhaired man sitting across from him on the bed cross legged.

"Yes, I remember..." he said slowly, after looking down at himself in mild surprise.

"Could you teach me? I want to try to make something for Nix," he said, fidgeting slightly on the bed.

"What do you want to learn seals for?" Sasori asked, his normally bored ember eyes looking suspicious. No doubtedly remembering the last time Nickalos wanted to learn something.

Nicky leaned forward and explained his idea to the former puppet.

Once he was done, Sasori sat back for a few moments, deep in thought.

"That is a fascinating idea, I don't know if it would be possible, but I would be willing to teach you seals." Sasori began.

"On a few conditions," he continued, raising a hand when Nicky perked up excitedly.

"You will never attempt to create any seal without one of us supervising. Seals done incorrectly are incredibly dangerous. You will also memorize every seal, it's function and purpose, be able to describe in detail what it does, and be able to draw it perfectly before you will begin putting them together. If you do not follow all of these rules, I, nor any of the others will teach you. Do you understand?" Sasori said warningly.

Nicky nodded immediately, willing to agree to anything Sasori said in order to learn.


End file.
